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3D-Printed Car Takes Its First Test Drive

Posted by samzenpus on from the print-and-drive dept.

An anonymous reader points out this advancement in 3D printing. This week, at the International Manufacturing Technology Show (IMTS) in Chicago, Arizona-based automobile manufacturer Local Motors stole the show. Over the six day span of the IMTS, the company managed to 3D print and assemble an entire automobile, called the "Strati," live in front of spectators. Although the Strati is not the first ever car to be 3D printed, the advancements made by Local Motors with help from Cincinnati Inc, and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, have produced a vehicle in days rather than months.

132 comments

  1. it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    Nobody 3D printed an entire car here. Just a stupid body shell, it's obvious the actual car, you know, the chassis, motor, tires, the *real* stuff, was made in an old Luddite factory.

    Idiots.

    1. Re:it's means it is by istartedi · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I figured as much; but don't knock that. Talk to anybody who has wrecked the plastic on their sport motorcycle. If you could print that stuff at a reasonable price, that wold be HUGE.

      --
      For all intensive purposes, "whom" is no longer a word. That begs the question, "who cares"?
    2. Re:it's means it is by SternisheFan · · Score: 5, Interesting
      This site has a time-lapse video of it getting printed out...

      http://www.digitaltrends.com/c...

    3. Re: it's means it is by rickb928 · · Score: 1

      Local Motors and nothing associated with it are Luddite.

      --
      deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
    4. Re: it's means it is by rickb928 · · Score: 2

      Um, bad post. I meant that neither Local Motors nor anything associated with it are Luddite.

      Now let me reboot this frikin N7. Stupid touch problems.

      --
      deleting the extra space after periods so i can stay relevant, yeah.
    5. Re:it's means it is by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      There's 40 parts to the car. Did they print out a fully functioning electric motor and battery for it? Headlights?!! Give me a break! Man, some of you posters here that harp on every little detail can be a real drag.

    6. Re: it's means it is by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      Now let me reboot this frikin N7

      Was it 3D printed?

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    7. Re: it's means it is by jenningsthecat · · Score: 1

      ...neither Local Motors nor anything associated with it are Luddite...

      Since you're in correction mode, you may be interested to know that your post should have read: "...neither Local Motors nor anything associated with it is Luddite". The words "neither" and "anything" are singular pronouns.

      I'm a part-time grammar Nazi, and sometimes I can't restrain myself; please excuse my pedantic impulse.

      --
      'The Economy' is a giant Ponzi scheme whose most pitiable suckers are the youngest among us and the yet-unborn.
    8. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Sure, every little detail like the story being about 3D printing an entire automobile when absolutely no such thing has happened.

      I wonder if you'll be as forgiving when you buy a new car...

      And if you think a car has 40 parts, boy are you naive. Even my RC toys are more complex.

    9. Re:it's means it is by SternisheFan · · Score: 2

      Sure, every little detail like the story being about 3D printing an entire automobile when absolutely no such thing has happened.

      I wonder if you'll be as forgiving when you buy a new car...

      And if you think a car has 40 parts, boy are you naive. Even my RC toys are more complex.

      FTA: As you can see by the Vine clips we have posted within this article, it most certainly does! The car, which features just 40 parts, drove out of McCormick Place in Chicago just moments ago. As to what Local Motors plans to do next with the Strati 3D printed car, now that the vehicle has been printed and drives like a charm, they will seek to launch production-level 3D printed vehicles for sale to the public in the coming months.

    10. Re:it's means it is by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      You can already 3D print ABS plastic.

    11. Re:it's means it is by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · · Score: 1, Interesting

      No one said you couldn't. But no one has previous printed such a large piece, so precise, and so fast. Its an engineering milestone, not the discovery of radioactivity.

      If todays geeks were alive to see the first model t the'd be bitching about how much better other cars were, and how it was nothing new. The new-ness is how it was made and how cheaply it was made.

      --
      Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
    12. Re: it's means it is by SternisheFan · · Score: 2

      You're right, of course. I'm one too, at times. Sometimes it's the little shit that bugs me, though being too much a grammar nazi can interrupt the flow of an online conversation. And english isn't alway's a 1st language for some posters here. Just saying.

    13. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Talk to anybody who has wrecked the plastic on their sport motorcycle.

      Not just plastic, especially for old bikes.

      I've had a few parts printed for my Ducatis, including sintered aluminium replacement parts. In many cases it's already cheaper and faster than trying to track down genuine Ducati bits.

    14. Re:it's means it is by Dutch+Gun · · Score: 4, Insightful

      I think people are just getting a little tired of the 3D printing hype. Yes, it's a cool emerging technology, but the sensationalism of these headlines and articles are a little grating at this point.

      Calling it a "3D printed car" is not exactly lying, but it borders on disengenuous, seeing that the guts of the car are, of course, still manufactured the traditional way. It's apparently the body and frame that were printed, from what I can tell. Seriously, would that have been so damn hard to mention in the summary or the article? Oh, but that sounds a lot less impressive, doesn't it...

      It was stated in the article that the car had 40 parts. I'm pretty sure they meant there were 40 printed parts, because there's no way in fuck you can build a car in 40 parts, unless you're conveniently counting the engine and frame as a single "part". Or maybe they're just counting each pre-packaged assembly as a "part".

      I don't think people would complain quite as much if there was any real semblance of critical reporting here - less hype and more tech.

      --
      Irony: Agile development has too much intertia to be abandoned now.
    15. Re:it's means it is by Quantum+Apostrophe · · Score: 1

      I was tired of it last year because I saw that overhyping right away. I've been following 3D printing since it was called the "Santa Claus Machine" by Don Lancaster in the 1980s.

    16. Re:it's means it is by mjwx · · Score: 2

      I figured as much; but don't knock that. Talk to anybody who has wrecked the plastic on their sport motorcycle. If you could print that stuff at a reasonable price, that wold be HUGE.

      Not just motorbikes. Today I noticed another scratch on my quarter panel (Perth, this is why we cant have nice things). If I knew I could replace the thing for less than $100 I wouldn't care so much (then again, the people who think it's OK to bang their door carelessly against my car might become even more reckless).

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    17. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Looks like it only 40 parts (including engine, electronics, etc). The video of driving car is only 40 parts. Did you see they printed most of the car in one pass as a single part?

    18. Re:it's means it is by Quantum+Apostrophe · · Score: 2

      You're insane. What about the wheels, the motor, the steering wheel, the chassis? Only the cover was 3D printed. The ACTUAL CAR WAS MADE FROM PARTS MADE IN A FACTORY. What, exactly, are you having a hard time with? Let's start with the wheels. Do you see any wheels or tires being 3D printed? Where did they come from?

    19. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Several groups worked together to build a driveable 3-D printed car during the six-day International Manufacturing Technology Show in Chicago. In a press release, Local Motors called the 3-D printed Strati a first-of-its-kind concept car. Local Motors worked with the Association for Manufacturing Technology, Cincinnati Incorporated and the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to 3-D print and rapidly assemble the car during the Sept. 8-13 event. Engineers started out by 3-D printing the car using a process called Broad Area Additive Manufacturing (BAAM). Local Motors said it held a six-week challenge and received more than 200 entries from 30 different countries before chosing the Strati as the winning design. Michele Anoe of Italy submitted the Strati design, which calls for the car's body to be 3-D printed in a single piece -- an approximate 44-hour process. The 3-D printed car is made from ABS plastic that has been infused with carbon fiber. Local Motors said it believes it is the first company to ever attempt to print both the body and chassis components of a vehicle together, although others have built cars before using a 3-D printing process. After the vehicle was printed, Local Motors said it outfitted the car with mechanical components, such as motors, wiring, suspension and a battery. For a finale, the completed Strati was showcased and then driven around the venue Saturday, but Local Motors said it could not drive the car around on city streets due to vehicle regulations. http://ktar.com/265/1766488/3D...

    20. Re:it's means it is by SternisheFan · · Score: 2, Informative
      I'm insane? My mother said that to me once, but just once. ;^)

      You're insane if you think someone's able to completely print a car from plastic. You're taking this headline too literally. If the headline was "Man lands on the moon", would you complain that he used a rocket ship instead of jumping? Now give this subtopic a rest, the body and some parts were 3D printed successfully enough to create a drivable car. Here's another link to the story, and an excerpt:

      Michele Anoe of Italy submitted the Strati design, which calls for the car's body to be 3-D printed in a single piece -- an approximate 44-hour process. The 3-D printed car is made from ABS plastic that has been infused with carbon fiber. Local Motors said it believes it is the first company to ever attempt to print both the body and chassis components of a vehicle together, although others have built cars before using a 3-D printing process. After the vehicle was printed, Local Motors said it outfitted the car with mechanical components, such as motors, wiring, suspension and a battery. http://ktar.com/265/1766488/3D...

    21. Re:it's means it is by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      Don't tell that to Stratasys, 3D Systems or any of the other commercial 3D printer vendors

      Stratasys sell printers that do 1000x800x500mm and 914x610x914mm
      They can print in high impact ABS

      VoxelJet have one that does 4x2x1m

      Just because a Makerbot can't do it, doesn't mean commercial products can't.

    22. Re:it's means it is by Golden_Rider · · Score: 1

      Looks like it only 40 parts (including engine, electronics, etc). The video of driving car is only 40 parts. Did you see they printed most of the car in one pass as a single part?

      So you say a car engine is made out of only 40 parts? Looked like more parts to me last time I looked under the hood of my car.

    23. Re:it's means it is by Quantum+Apostrophe · · Score: 0
      "Local Motors said it outfitted the car with mechanical components, such as motors, wiring, suspension and a battery. "

      How is that 3D printed? You can repeat the press release as much as you want, no one 3D printed a car.

      And people are finally wising up to the overhyping of 3D printing. About fucking time too.

      Where are the idiots with their "study" that a 3D printer pays for itself in a year??? LOL

    24. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Then the writer of the story shouldn't have outright LIED when he/she said the entire car was 3D printed. I hate liars far more than nitpickers.

    25. Re:it's means it is by CmdrPorno · · Score: 1

      Yeah, "3D-Printed Car Takes It Is First Test Drive."

      See also:
      http://youtu.be/8Gv0H-vPoDc?t=...

      --
      Sent from my iPhone
    26. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The chassis is the hard part. It takes all the knocks and abuses and stresses of driving. The rest, who cares?

    27. Re:it's means it is by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      Then the writer of the story shouldn't have outright LIED when he/she said the entire car was 3D printed. I hate liars far more than nitpickers.

      Fail. Nowhere does the author state the ''entire car'' was printed,

    28. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No one said an engine is comprised of 40 parts. Article states the entire car is made up of 40 parts.

    29. Re:it's means it is by jfengel · · Score: 1

      If the headline was "Man lands on the moon", would you complain that he used a rocket ship instead of jumping?

      The way this headline is written, it's as if they'd written "Armstrong jumps to moon", and neglected to mention in TFS that he was jumping from the ladder of the lander to the surface. TFS says "managed to 3D print, and assemble an entire automobile", and that's misleading to the point of lying.

      It's a cool, impressive, incremental achievement, but they haven't landed on the moon here. And tech reporting, and tech in general, would be better served by accurate reporting of it.

    30. Re:it's means it is by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      I concede the 'sloppy' headline. Very cool tech, though.

    31. Re:it's means it is by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      If I find a new dent when returning to my car I usually just put a note on the windscreen of the car next to me with my contact details and a brief explanation that it appears they damaged my car. I ask that they contract me within a few days to get it fixed, or I can go through their insurance (you can look up any vehicles insurance details for free on the MID database in the UK). It's about 50/50 if they just offer some cash or deny it, and in the latter case I just let it go if the damage is minor. If the dent is big I offer to get CCTV images from the car park company.

      I wish someone would invent a CCTV system for cars that was low power enough to run while parked. It would only need to record when an accelerometer detects that the car was bumped.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    32. Re:it's means it is by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      This is an interesting development because it shows that 3D printed parts are viable for use in a car. They have come a long way already from the early days of low quality and high fragility.

      Eventually it's inevitable that you will be able to print a large part of a car. Printers will improve and use more materials, and companies will offer chassis with the motors and battery pack fitted ready for a custom body. Lawsuits will start to fly over copyright infringement. In fact, I saw on TV that one Japanese manufacturer (Mazda I think) makes a Japan only model with replaceable body panels already.

      Eventually someone will invent a replicator and then the price of a Ferrari will drop to near zero because everyone has one.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
    33. Re:it's means it is by rioki · · Score: 1

      In addition, what would have been the time and effort if that exact shell was not printed but molded or milled? 3D printing has a few useful applications, where you can't mill or mold the shape efficiently, but that car's shell could have been easily molded in a fraction of the time (including making the molds). One of the reasons why 3D printing has not picked up in manufacturing is because it is inefficient BS most of the time. (Prototyping on the other hand is a different story.)

    34. Re:it's means it is by tehcyder · · Score: 1

      You can get plain white plastic fairings etc cheap enough, it's all the paint/branding that makes manufacturers ones so expensive. And you'd still have that problem if you printed them yourself at home.

      --
      To have a right to do a thing is not at all the same as to be right in doing it
    35. Re:it's means it is by GTRacer · · Score: 1

      [snip] an approximate 44-hour process.

      Pfft. They have a ways to go before they catch up to Royalton Industries. They can do from initial carbon bond to finished car in 36!

      --
      Defending IP by destroying access to it? That makes sense, RIAA/MPAA. Go to the corner until you can play nice!
    36. Re:it's means it is by nukenerd · · Score: 1

      Fail. Nowhere does the author state the ''entire car'' was printed,

      In fact TFA says "Over the six day span of the IMTS, the company managed to 3D print, and assemble an entire automobile"

      ... so in the context of this news item it states exactly that. If it were meant to be read as not the entire automobile then it doesn't come over as a news story - the 3D printed part could just be the badge on the front. So the reader is being urged to believe it is the entire car. That is being dishonest.

      I don't know why they needed to be. If it had been told correctly it would have been an interesting story anyway. Instead they have created a flamefest.

    37. Re:it's means it is by nukenerd · · Score: 1

      Sloppy Headline? It is a whole f#@king sloppy body of the article, the one in the link above I mean. Actually, I don't have a problem with the headline, which reads "Local Motors’ 3D Printed ‘Strati’ Car Has Just Taken Its First Test Drive. I don't expect detail in a headline.

    38. Re:it's means it is by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      Okay, get over it already. The ability to print out a chassis is exciting new tech that needs refinement, it may end up changing and shaping the future.

    39. Re:it's means it is by turp182 · · Score: 1

      My dashcam can be triggered on motion. I don't use this feature, I just let it record all of my driving.

      That should dramatically cut the power used by the camera when it isn't recording.

      I'm about to get a 2nd one that will be rear facing (and then maybe left/right facing, I need to find a model that doesn't come with a screen, so it would be smaller).

      I've already used the threat of the dash cam to get some guy and a cop off my ass (he said I hit his car with my door, but I hadn't even been on the parking level where it happened, I told the cop I would gladly pull up my dashcam videos if the guy would like, the cop came back a couple of minutes later and said that wouldn't be necessary...).

      --
      BlameBillCosby.com
    40. Re: it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Exactly. Compared to a 3D printed gun, where only a couple parts are inserted, the entire gun was printed. This car is like rooting a laptop, err, well the case... Who cares.

    41. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fail. This is in the article and was also stated right in the Slashdot summary, but someone has since edited that part out after being called on it.

      Over the six day span of the IMTS, the company managed to 3D print, and assemble an entire automobile, called the âStratiâ(TM), live in front of spectators.

      So yeah, learn to read you illiterate little shit.

    42. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      The story is that the ENTIRE car was 3D printed, which is a lie.

    43. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, just shut up. You are one obnoxious, weaselly, pigheaded, goalpost moving, strawman building fuck.

      You're wrong. It's not impressive. You get over it.

    44. Re:it's means it is by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · · Score: 1

      Can they print a car body as quickly as the company did in the article? Have they?

      If not, then that's the point.
      If they have, then well the story sucks as much as everyone says it does.

      Step back from the myopic meaningless look at the details, and see how the small dots form the larger picture.

      --
      Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
    45. Re:it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Good point. Why didn't they print the parts list in the article? It's only 40 parts!

    46. Re:it's means it is by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      I'm not your research assistant. Google it yourself.

    47. Re:it's means it is by Bill,+Shooter+of+Bul · · Score: 1

      Damn, it Carl! Do you job or you won't get my recommendation for your post doc!

      --
      Well.. maybe. Or Maybe not. But Definitely not sort of.
    48. Re:it's means it is by mjwx · · Score: 1

      I wish someone would invent a CCTV system for cars that was low power enough to run while parked. It would only need to record when an accelerometer detects that the car was bumped.

      They have (Australian taxi's have them installed recording 360 degree views) but they aren't cheap. Even to get an ADR (Australian Design Rules) approved dashcam it's near enough to A$500. The problem is you need a lot of cameras to reliably get the entire side of your car and some cars paint is so soft, it wont even set off the accelerometer.

      The problem I have with my current scratch is that it's on the rear left hand side quarter panel (that's the passenger side in Australia and the UK for the Americans playing along at home) and I dont look at that panel every day so it could have happened any time in the last week.

      I normally park as far away from others as I can... but there's always one tosser who sees a nice sports car and has to park their crap hatch right next to it.

      --
      Calling someone a "hater" only means you can not rationally rebut their argument.
    49. Re:it's means it is by AmiMoJo · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the tip, I'll look into that.

      --
      const int one = 65536; (Silvermoon, Texture.cs)
      SJW, n: "Someone I don't like, and by the way I'm a fuckwit" - AC
  2. It's First Test Drive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Informative

    It's First Test Drive

    Sigh.

    1. Re:It's First Test Drive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's First Test Drive

      Sigh.

      S'igh.

    2. Re:It's First Test Drive by ArcadeMan · · Score: 2

      Le sigh.

      --
      Get free satoshi (Bitcoin) and Dogecoins
    3. Re:It's First Test Drive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      So glad someone else had the same reaction I did to the headline.

    4. Re:It's First Test Drive by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Its a miracle anyone speak's English anymore.

  3. NIce! by rmdingler · · Score: 1
    And don't forget we're still in the infancy of this technology.

    With any luck, we'll be printing autos overnight before my youngest is eligible for male teenage insurance premiums.

    --
    Happiness in intelligent people is the rarest thing I know.

    Ernest Hemingway

    1. Re:NIce! by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      And don't forget we're still in the infancy of this technology.

      How long does an "infancy" last? 3D printing has been around since the '80s.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:NIce! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      And the first 3d printers were of the laser sintering type. The first 3d printer patent is from the 70's, only 20 years newer than cnc machines.

  4. Really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Including the mechanics - engine and gearbox etc.? Can't tell from the article

    1. Re:Really? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      If they'd actually managed that I think people in more fields would be making it into a far bigger deal. From a linked thread:

      "Mechanical components, like battery, motor, wiring, and suspension are sourced from a variety of suppliers, including Renault’s Twizy, a line of electric powered city cars."

  5. Does it drive? by Iamthecheese · · Score: 3, Interesting

    No, "does it drive" is well down the list of questions I would ask. I want to know whether all the parts were printed, material costs, labor costs, whether it's street legal, safety, durability and/or ease of repair... In short I want to know whether there's a logical rational to saying anything but "meh". Considering they dodged every one of those questions the answers are probably down Meh road, past Slashvertisement junction, left at Hype street and first notachanceinhell on your left.

    --
    If video games influenced behavior the Pac Man generation would be eating pills and running away from their problems.
    1. Re:Does it drive? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      "Is it street legal" is probably one of the last questions I would ask.

      No, scratch that. I don't care if it's street legal. I just want to know if it's got two cup holders and decent sound system. And as a long-time Burnout Paradise player, I want to know how much boost it has and how well it drifts around turns.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:Does it drive? by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      The body is built for strength, watch the time-lapse video I posted above, where you can see it was planned for being printed for strentgh and lighter weight. Hi-strength plastic using carbon. Pretty neatly done.

    3. Re:Does it drive? by Quantum+Apostrophe · · Score: 1

      Jesus Christ, do you own stock in the company? Are you sucking their dick right now? They 3D printed a milk crate. How long do you think this "car" will last?

    4. Re:Does it drive? by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      How long do you think this "car" will last?

      Don't know the strength of having carbon strands added to the plastic, the chassis will need to be durability tested. Probably not long on NYC roads. It's a proof of concept car. Now, print it out with a material that's proven will last, you have the start of an easily mass producible vehicle at a substantially lower price.

    5. Re:Does it drive? by CanHasDIY · · Score: 1

      "Is it street legal" is probably one of the last questions I would ask.

      No, scratch that. I don't care if it's street legal. I just want to know if it's got two cup holders and decent sound system. And as a long-time Burnout Paradise player, I want to know how much boost it has and how well it drifts around turns.

      Per TFA (or at least an FA, I've read about this from sources), it has a top speed of 40 mph. Unless they put it on intentionally skinny tires, a la the Subaru BR-Z, you're probably not going to be doing a whole lot of drifting.

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
  6. Cheaters by viperidaenz · · Score: 4, Interesting

    They made the car extra small to print it quicker.

    Can someone tell me why the roll bar is significantly below the heads of both people sitting inside? What's the point? So you're slightly less dead when the car rolls over?

    They forgot the front roll bar too, around the windscreen. It's just a piece of glass or plastic.

    1. Re:Cheaters by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      They made the car extra small to print it quicker.

      Can someone tell me why the roll bar is significantly below the heads of both people sitting inside? What's the point? So you're slightly less dead when the car rolls over?

      They forgot the front roll bar too, around the windscreen. It's just a piece of glass or plastic.

      Kind of like how the ricers put rear spoilers on front wheel drive cars?

      If you want to get on the idiocy of motorvehicles, I can go on about how the sound of a Harley engine makes my skin crawl and people who purposefully keep their Hogs running like shit to sound "cool" or "badass" should be crucified on a camshaft after being flogged by chains and offered as pathetic sacrifices to the internal combustion engine gods.

    2. Re:Cheaters by viperidaenz · · Score: 2

      A rear spoiler on a front wheel drive car can help.
      Most cars experience lift at the rear, due to the vacuum created as the body shape moves downwards at the rear.
      It doesn't matter if you're in a front, rear or all wheel drive car, if the back wheel lose traction, it's bad news.

      But you don't need to worry about that if you're driving on the high way, since you're not going fast enough to lift the rear off the road, or making sharp, high speed turns. So the ricer spoilers do nothing but increase drag, lower the efficiency and reduce acceleration.

    3. Re:Cheaters by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Kind of like how the ricers put rear spoilers on front wheel drive cars?

      You put a spoiler on a front wheel drive car for the same reason your put a rear spoiler on a rear wheel drive car. To keep the rear tires in contact with the pavement for high speed cornering.

    4. Re:Cheaters by Stripe7 · · Score: 1

      I am interested in knowing if the design factors in the effect of using the 3D printed panels in the crumple zones.Will the 3D printed panels have the same effect as normal panels in an accident, in terms of energy absorption?

    5. Re:Cheaters by CanHasDIY · · Score: 1

      A rear spoiler on a front wheel drive car can help.

      It's a wing, not a spoiler. And no, I don't care what Wikipedia says, I prefer to rely on the expertise of old guys who have been flying or racing cars, respectively, for the better part of a century.

      In fairness, considering that the purpose of an aeronautical spoiler is to "reduce lift," I can see why the terms get confused.

      Crap like this is why English is such a hard language to learn. /rant

      --
      An enigma, wrapped in a riddle, shrouded in bacon and cheese
    6. Re:Cheaters by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      I doubt it has any safety features at all.

  7. Entire car? by ArcadeMan · · Score: 2

    the company managed to 3D print, and assemble an entire automobile

    When you buy an "entire car", they don't sell you an empty shell.

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    1. Re:Entire car? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      the company managed to 3D print, and assemble an entire automobile

      When you buy an "entire car", they don't sell you an empty shell.

      Speaks somebody who has never been to Honest Ted's Used Car Emporium. And actually, it turned out the Empty Shell was just a perspective printed piece of cardboard.

      But hey, at least the Carfax came back ok!

    2. Re:Entire car? by ArcadeMan · · Score: 1

      Is that affiliated with Stan's Previously Owned Cars?

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    3. Re:Entire car? by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      Made from 40 parts, not all were 3D printed, like the electric motor, lights, battery, etc. Start to finish printed and assembled in 6 days.

  8. Grammar! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2

    You mean "its" and not "it's" first test drive, don't you?

    1. Re:Grammar! by PopeRatzo · · Score: 1

      The inappropriate apostrophe is one of the last freedoms we have. If you try to take it away, you'll have to wrest it from my cold, dead finger's.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
  9. What sort of engine by rossdee · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What sort of engine can you print with a 3d printer?

    1. Re:What sort of engine by jeti · · Score: 2

      You could probably print a pneumatic engine. But this car uses electric motors that were not printed.

    2. Re:What sort of engine by Khyber · · Score: 1

      NASA successfully printed and tested some high-stress components for their rockets, so I'd assume one might be able to make a reasonably powerful engine if one had access to the same grade of technology.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    3. Re:What sort of engine by freeze128 · · Score: 1

      A plastic one.

    4. Re:What sort of engine by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      No, that "printing" that NASA did was melting metal powder with a laser to make injector for a rocket engine. Nothing like the melting plastic which was done here, and I can't believe person who wrote that article claimed they printed a car.

    5. Re:What sort of engine by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      Probably not a high performance or engine.
      Pretty hard to 3D print metal that's as strong as forged steel.

      You could probably 3D print a block or head, but not a piston, conrod or crankshaft.

    6. Re:What sort of engine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      A 3D one.

    7. Re:What sort of engine by ColdWetDog · · Score: 1

      IIRC they were laser sintering some exhaust nozzles. So yes, it is a technology that can be added to our bag of Homo Industrialis tricks. No, it's not going to replace much in the manufacturing sector anytime soon.

      --
      Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
    8. Re:What sort of engine by Khyber · · Score: 1

      Sintering, plastic welding, same difference. Played with both, given proper forming materials you can 3D print and CNC mill a finalized piece. It's how I make PCB and housing for my LED panels.

      --
      Still waiting on Serviscope_minor to wake up to fucking reality and realize that Jessica Price isn't going to fuck him.
    9. Re:What sort of engine by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I thought SpaceX 3d printed their rockets?

    10. Re:What sort of engine by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      Very different things, melting some plastic and making a silly claim of "making a car" is utter bullshit. Sintering jet engine or rocket engine parts in a different league altogether.

    11. Re:What sort of engine by JimSadler · · Score: 1

      Engines should print without much fuss at all. 3D printing with various metals is already common enough. We are seeing a lot of resistance to such articles simply because people are very much in fear of this new technology. We are about to see a hell for leather change in everything we think and believe. 3D printing, robotics and computing are gaining speed as is medical technology. When you see emotional primitives acting out much like the terrorists in the Arab world a great deal of it has to do with the fear of a very rapidly changing world. I am reminded of the Orthodox Rabi in Israel who was ranting that one could not hope to continue the faith if the young were exposed to movies. There were actually riots over whether things like movies should be allowed in some areas. If the young get wind of progress they can not be managed.

  10. Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Funny

    I would pirate a car!

    1. Re:Yes! by DanielRavenNest · · Score: 1

      Of course, the printer costs much more than a car, and is the size of a garage.

    2. Re:Yes! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      > I would pirate a song!

      Of course, the computer costs much more than a song, and is the size of a CD organizer.

  11. Grammar by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Informative

    3D-Printed Car Takes It's First Test Drive

    should be

    3D-Printed Car Takes Its First Test Drive

    "It's" is a contraction for "It is". "Its" is a possessive pronoun. Please correct your mistake.

    1. Re:Grammar by viperidaenz · · Score: 1

      It's a Word Crime

  12. Benefits/Effects by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 4, Insightful

    I believe some real benefits of this would be the ability to customize cars and add after market parts. It would make, at least the body work, on a damaged car possibly much cheaper and faster. Another benefit would be replacing parts on cars that are no longer being produced.

    On the effects side this could greatly impact parts suppliers with the reduction of workers since only designers would be needed long term. It would also really change factories if a large percentage of the parts could be printed on site. Obviously some things like engines and electronics are far off, but body panels, plastic parts, etc could be done which would reduce the need for transportation of parts to the assembly site and reduce the complexity of the logistics chain for the factory.

    Overall if/when it works it will be a good incremental improvement to the entire supply chain of a modern automobile. I just think this article was a bit forward leaning in the title, but showing that many parts of a modern car could be made this way is a great leap forward, if it works on an industrial scale.

    1. Re:Benefits/Effects by Quantum+Apostrophe · · Score: 1
      " It would make, at least the body work, on a damaged car possibly much cheaper and faster"

      And to think I got banned from Fark for daring to suggest that!

  13. Tough as steel? by buckfeta2014 · · Score: 1

    The vehicle which weighed about half of what a typical automobile would weigh, was as strong as steel.

    I'm sorry, but I don't believe that. Run it into a transport truck or a dump truck, and guess who will win.

    --
    Buck Feta. You know what to do.
    1. Re:Tough as steel? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No it's not about how will win. A larger mass car will obviously win because well physics. But I agree the statement "Tough as steel" sucks. For example they give no mention as to what grade of steel it is a tough as nor what the mean by tough. It could be as strong as steel but very brittle meaning any bending and it snaps. Or they could mean that it is a ductile as steel but can't support the same load. Also, they make no mention to the long term durability vs steel or the weight vs strength ratio. Then again this whole article is all hype and no substance so who cares....

    2. Re:Tough as steel? by AC-x · · Score: 1

      Is it the same one who would win if you ran a "typical automobile" into a transport truck or a dump truck?

  14. I wish tech writers were more honest by MpVpRb · · Score: 4, Informative

    Yes, it's a cool demo..congratulations to a bunch of cool engineers

    No, it's not a 3D printed car

    At best, it's a crudely 3D printed body shell over traditionally made parts

    There is no 3D printing tech available now that can print a ball bearing..or gears..or springs..or a motor

    1. Re:I wish tech writers were more honest by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      You were saying? People are already 3D-printing ball bearings, gears springs and motors.

    2. Re:I wish tech writers were more honest by Quantum+Apostrophe · · Score: 1

      These are dollar store trinkets, not functional items. *YOU* were saying?

    3. Re:I wish tech writers were more honest by AC-x · · Score: 1

      That "motor" is just another spring!

  15. And it looks abysmal too by DrXym · · Score: 3, Insightful
    Most extruded plastic 3D printers look bad, but this particular one looks terrible. The flaws are big enough to see in the promo video in SD. It's like a lumpy coil pot.

    As usual 3D printing is being used as an excuse for free publicity. Most of the parts could have been injection moulded with far greater quality & accuracy in far less time, assuming plastic was the best material to make them with in the first place.

    1. Re:And it looks abysmal too by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Most of the parts could have been injection moulded with far greater quality & accuracy in far less time, assuming plastic was the best material to make them with in, the first place.

      With greater quality and accuracy, yes, but not far less time. 40 large mold sets would take quite some time to produce and be massively more expensive. Once the molds are made, they would be faster, but the break even point in time would probably be a couple to a dozen cars, the break even point on cost would probably be in the thousands.

      I know some of the Local Motors guys, so it pains me to say it, but this is far from a product you could sell. It looks like crap. The Rally Fighter they make is cool, this car is just a publicity stunt. As a publicity stunt, though, it worked.

    2. Re:And it looks abysmal too by fractoid · · Score: 1

      Exactly. I hate seeing 3D printing touted as a mass production technique when in fact it's terrible for that. Traditional mass production methods like injection molding, vacuum forming, milling, etc. are intrinsically better in most cases and will remain so for the foreseeable future.

      3D printing is great for prototyping and very short production runs, not for mass production.

      --
      Rampant carbon sequestration destroyed the Dinosaurs' tropical paradise. I'm here to help repair the damage.
    3. Re:And it looks abysmal too by n2hightech · · Score: 1

      It does look bad, However, it is not possible to make an injection molded car body in far less time when you consider the cost and time of the tooling required. Tooling design and manufacture for a car body this size would take on the order of 12 months. The machines required to manufacture a tool this size are many millions of dollars as well as the cost of the molding machine required to mold a part that size. Once you have the tools you can spit out many high quality parts very quickly at a low price per piece. However each part is exactly the same. The real beauty of 3D printing is not the quality of the final parts its the flexibility of what you can produce. With injection molds you spend lots of money and time before you get the first part. With 3D printing you get the part immediately. You can tweak the design between each print. Or you can print something different each time. There is value in flexibility. The big challenge to making 3D printing competitive as a high volume production system is getting a high quality surface finish without increasing print time.

    4. Re:And it looks abysmal too by DrXym · · Score: 1

      With greater quality and accuracy, yes, but not far less time. 40 large mold sets would take quite some time to produce and be massively more expensive. Once the molds are made, they would be faster, but the break even point in time would probably be a couple to a dozen cars, the break even point on cost would probably be in the thousands.

      Most cars would be sold in the thousands and besides, nobody would buy a car if the finish was as bad as this. They only achieved the speed at all by rushing the printing, extruding from a wide nozzle. If they were to use high precision nozzles to achieve makerbot quality finish it'd take 100x the time and it still wouldn't look great. It's just not practical except for the crudest of prototypes.

  16. How about experiments in radical body concepts by JoeCommodore · · Score: 1

    What they could have done though is make the shell unique... like maybe trying out a dempled shall ala mythbusters

    http://www.discovery.com/tv-sh...

    No 3d printing for such experimentation is aprobbaly a best use for the method.

    --
    "Enjoy what you're doing! If it becomes drudgery, you're doing it wrong!" - Jim Butterfield
  17. Obviously... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    To keep the organs intact. No doubt the car has a 3d printer built in to put the pink dot on your driver's license as well.

    Take that 3d printing yuppie consumer scum! You're organ donors for your mass producing corporate overlords! :-D

  18. Burn epoxy? by Mister+Liberty · · Score: 1

    Sorry -- I'm not really into 3D printing.

  19. A bit misleading by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    the article stats that they printed "the company managed to 3D print, and assemble an entire automobile", which I don't believe to be the truth - the printed the the plastic panels, the running gear, motor, wheels, electric etc (the actual stuff that makes a car go) were not printed.

    Just more sensationalist crap from CNN.

  20. Level of Abstraction by qpqp · · Score: 2

    A car most definitely does have more than 40 parts.
    However, if you have a relatively 'macro' level of abstraction and a "part" for you is the gearbox and another is the engine, then maybe you'll be able to say that this one has 40 parts.
    In reality, though, the engine alone has more parts than that.

    1. Re:Level of Abstraction by SternisheFan · · Score: 2

      Electric motor with battery power, motor came assembled.

    2. Re:Level of Abstraction by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      That's nothing. My car is one part. After all, it came assembled.

    3. Re:Level of Abstraction by qpqp · · Score: 1

      So for you the engine is one part, and thus you are talking from the perspective of a relatively high abstraction level.
      Q.E.D.

    4. Re:Level of Abstraction by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      So for you the engine is one part, and thus you are talking from the perspective of a relatively high abstraction level. Q.E.D.

      (No engine, motor. One part.) 40 parts, 3D printed body=1part. includes seats, floor,framework, many separate car parts combined into one unit saves much assembly. It's a proof of concept car. Much refinement to progress further, therefore, somewhat 'abstract', sure. Done before? No. It's a game changer in 'car' tech. As they say,"Stay tuned for further developments...".

    5. Re:Level of Abstraction by qpqp · · Score: 1

      (No engine, motor. One part.)

      Engine ( "a machine that changes energy [...] into mechanical motion") == motor ("a machine that produces motion or power for doing work") [Merriam-Webster].

      So, if an engine is one part, a tire is one part too and then, maybe, it's made of 40 (aggregate) parts/objects."
      Is it a game changer? Doubtful. Step in the right direction - possibly.
      A printed house including (pre-fab'd) wiring and communications, that's a game changer IMO. A printed "enclosure" of a car (even with "seats") is just the same old news scaled to a larger size (and with rather coarse resolution to boot).

    6. Re:Level of Abstraction by SternisheFan · · Score: 2

      Yeah, but if you had done it, you would have been proud.

    7. Re:Level of Abstraction by qpqp · · Score: 1

      Since I generally present the things I do as the things they are, I'd probably think that it's kind of cool, but that's where it stops.
      In fact, if I'd have come up with a way to put the non-printed parts in the car in place via conveyor belt or robot arm, or another way of actually assembling the car automatically, before making a show out of printing a shell, then I'd think it's cool.
      These guys went for WOW-ing the sheeple and VCs instead.
      Did I mention that I dislike (marketing) bullshit in a (quasi-) serious setting?
      I'd be proud if I would have come up with a fully functioning prosthetic arm driven by a brain-computer interface that costs a few thousand bucks, vs. the ~6-digits that are paid usually. This is just like the original facebook to me: nothing special, just existing things refitted to make a profit.

    8. Re:Level of Abstraction by SternisheFan · · Score: 1

      Yeah, but you ''didn't do this''. Write back when you did more than type about a story on the internet that wasn't 'exact' as you felt it should have been. G'nite to you sir.

    9. Re:Level of Abstraction by qpqp · · Score: 1

      LOL, way to turn an argument around. What I did and what I didn't do doesn't change the fact that this is not a 3d printed car, my friend.

  21. So car fabbing pre Sept 2014 by jpellino · · Score: 1

    is low-tech "luddite". Got it.

    --
    "Win treats sysadmins better than users. Mac treats users better than sysadmins. Linux treats everyone like sysadmins."
  22. You wouldn't... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    No "download a car" jokes, guys?

  23. it's means it is by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Why the FUCK can't morons get "it's" vs. "its" right?!?!!?!?!?!?! RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAGE!

  24. What a let down. by Bill_the_Engineer · · Score: 1

    I was expecting to see what the hype was all about and all I saw was a bunch of marketing distractions showing the printing a shell of a very small go-cart, and later two guys riding that go-cart.

    --
    These comments are my own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of my employer or colleagues...
  25. 3D printing carbon fiber by ToddInSF · · Score: 1

    Is freakin' awesome.

    Being an adult, I never for a moment expected the battery, drive train and electric motor to have also been printed, and did not expect this article to be about a 3D printed Cadillac-like car.

    Some people seem to think 3D printing is somewhat hyped. I think the impact it has had already, much less is going to have, is decidedly understated.

    Kind of reminds me of the early dial-up internet. Except 3D printing is developing WAY faster.